Counter addition for a range top

ABSTRACT

A cover, such as a countertop addition, is disclosed. The cover includes a primary flat section having a first perimeter sized equivalently to a second perimeter of the range top, and having an upper side and an under side. The primary flat section is fittedly integrated along the first perimeter with at least one countertop adjacent to the range top on at least one side of the range top. The primary flat section may include at least one seam, wherein, upon unfolding of said primary flat section along the at least one seam, the primary flat section is sized equivalently to the perimeter of the range top. This folding improves ease of storage, such as in a storage compartment of an adjacent countertop to the range. The primary flat section may be formed of a wood or a metallic, for example, and may include a plurality of designs thereon.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention is directed generally to a method andapparatus for providing additional counter top space and, moreparticularly, to a counter addition for a range top.

[0005] 2. Description of the Background

[0006] In general, a kitchen includes a range or range top, such as anelectric range, or an electric or gas stove, having a counter topadjacent on at least one side of the range or range top. However, in aconventional kitchen, the range or range top is only in use for a smallpercentage of the time, i.e. during the preparation of at least one ofthe three meals of the day, and, for the remaining time, the counterarea available for placement of materials, or for usage by members ofthe household in which the kitchen is present, is limited.

[0007] Although it is known to place covers over the burners of gas orelectric burner stoves, the placement of burner covers prevents damageto the burners, and injury to household parties, but does not protectthe remainder of the stove, other than the burners, from damage.Further, the unevenness of the surface provided by the burner covers andstove top makes use of the surface as a countertop difficult andinconvenient.

[0008] Therefore, the need exists for a range cover that protectsmembers of the household from injury, that protects the range top fromdamage, and that provides a convenient countertop surface for use by themembers of the household when the range is not in use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention is directed to a cover, such as acountertop addition, for placement over a range-top. The cover includesa primary flat section having a first perimeter sized equivalently to asecond perimeter of the range top, and having an upper side and an underside. The primary flat section is fittedly integrated along the firstperimeter with at least one countertop adjacent to the range top on atleast one side of the range top, and the fitted integration provides anadditional counter space in conjunction with the at least onecountertop. The primary flat section may include at least one seam,wherein, upon folding of said primary flat section along the at leastone seam, an area of the first perimeter is decreased, and wherein, uponunfolding of the primary flat section, the primary flat section is sizedequivalently to the second perimeter. This folding improves ease ofstorage, such as in a storage compartment of an adjacent countertop tothe range. The primary flat section may be formed of a wood or ametallic, for example, and may include a plurality of designs thereon.

[0010] The present invention is additionally directed to a system forcovering a range top. The system includes a counter top adjacent to therange top on at least one side of the range top, and a primary flatsection having a first perimeter sized equivalently to a secondperimeter around all sides of the range top, and having an upper sideand an under side. The primary flat section is fittedly integrated alongthe first perimeter with the at least one countertop adjacent to therange top on the at least one side of the range top, and the fittedintegration provides an additional counter space in conjunction with theat least one countertop.

[0011] The present invention solves problems experienced with the priorart because it provides a range cover that protects members of thehousehold from injury, that protects the range top from damage, and thatprovides a convenient countertop surface for use by the members of thehousehold when the range is not in use. Those and other advantages andbenefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detaileddescription of the invention hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0012] For the present invention to be clearly understood and readilypracticed, the present invention will be described in conjunction withthe following figures, wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cover, such as acountertop addition, for placement over a range-top;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the cover in use, and astorage compartment for the cover;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating folding of the cover;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of thecover; and

[0017]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of thecover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of thepresent invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that arerelevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, whileeliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements found in atypical kitchen device. Those of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize that other elements are desirable and/or required in order toimplement the present invention. However, because such elements are wellknown in the art, and because they do not facilitate a betterunderstanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements isnot provided herein.

[0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cover 10, such as acountertop addition, for placement over a range-top 12. As used herein,a “range”, or “range top”, includes an electric or gas range, range top,or an electric or gas stove or stove top. The cover 10 includes aprimary flat section 14 having an upper side 16 and an under side 18.

[0020] The primary flat section 14 may be formed of wood, or a metallic,for example. The wood may be selected to match the adjacent countertop24, and may include solid wood, or fabricated wood covered withartificial wood grain, for example. A metallic may be, for example,aluminum or tin. The primary flat section 14 may include a plurality ofdesigns 26 thereon, such as, but not limited to, artistic designs,cartoons, or designs to match the surrounding kitchen items.

[0021] The primary flat section 14 has a first perimeter 30 around theouter edges of the flat surface sized equivalently to a second perimeter32 around the uppermost surface of the range top 12. The primary flatsection 14 is fittedly integrated along the first perimeter 30 with atleast one countertop adjacent 24 to the range top 12 on at least oneside of the range top 12. This fitted integration may include a smallspace between the counter top and the range top, or may include alocking mechanism 40, such as a tab on the cover and a slot on thecountertop, that allows for a locking of the cover 10 once it is placed,with or without a spacing therebetween. This fitted integration mayfurther include forming the upper side 16 to be at a vertical heightapproximately equivalent to the first vertical height of the uppersurface of the at least one adjacent countertop 24. The counter top maybe adjacent on one, two, or three sides of the range 12. The fittedintegration provides an additional counter space in conjunction with theat least one countertop.

[0022] The primary flat section 14 may, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, include at least one seam 50. The primary flat section 14 mayfold along the at least one seam 50, thereby decreasing the surface areawithin the first perimeter 30. Upon unfolding of the primary flatsection 14 along the at least one seam 50, the primary flat section 14is sized equivalently to the perimeter 32 of the range top 12. At leastone hinge 52 may be included along each of the at least one seams 50,thereby allowing for the folding of the flat section 14 along the seam50 using the hinge 52. The hinge 52 may be bi-directional, oruni-directional, and may be used to fold the flat section 14 eitherupper side 16 to upper side 16, or under side 18 to under side 18.

[0023] The folding of the primary flat section 14, and the correspondentdecrease in surface area, allows for storage of the primary flat section14 within one of the adjacent countertop 24, such as during use of therange top 12. The at least one adjacent countertop 24 may thus includetherein a storage compartment 56. Upon folding of the primary flatsection 14 along the at least one seam 50, the primary flat section 14may be stored in the storage compartment 56, as shown in FIG. 2. Thisstorage compartment 56 may be formed of a hinged section of the at leastone adjacent countertop 24. Upon opening of the hinged section 56, thefolded primary flat section 14 may be stored therein.

[0024] In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the cover 10may simply be folded and removed, or may be removed unfolded. Further,upon folding of the primary flat section 14 along the at least one seam50, the primary flat section 14 may be retractably stored alongside therange top 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover 10 may be stoodupright on its edge, i.e. may be placed perpendicular to the range top12 upper surface, and may be folded to allow the height of the cover 10on its edge to be less than the height of, for example, the range hood60 above the range 12. The cover 10 may then be rolled, for example, viaa ball-bearing mechanism 66, down alongside the range 12.

[0025] In order to improve the storability of the primary flat section14, the under side of the primary flat section 14 may include a lowfriction mechanism 70, such as wheels or a roller. This low frictionmechanism 70 allows for the primary flat section 14 to roll for storagealongside the range 12, or may allow the primary flat section 14 to beslid, without folding, into the storage compartment 56, wherein thesliding of the primary flat section 14 is performed along the top of therange top 12, as shown in FIG. 4. The primary flat section 14 mayinclude a lock 72 that locks the low-friction mechanism 70. The primaryflat section 14 may further include a handle 80 for grasping uponsliding.

[0026] The upper surface of a range 12 may include a plurality ofburners 82, as well as a plurality of knobs 84. Therefore, the underside of the primary flat surface may include a plurality of burnercut-outs 86 for placement over the plurality of burners 82 on the rangetop. Further, the under side may include at least one knob cut-out 88for placement over the knobs 84 of the range top. These allowances fordiffering heights along the range top 12 allow for improved integrationwith the adjacent countertop heights.

[0027] Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that manymodifications and variations of the present invention may beimplemented. The foregoing description and the following claims areintended to cover all such modifications and variations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover for placement over a range-top,comprising: a primary flat section having a first perimeter sizedequivalently to a second perimeter of the range top, and having an upperside and an under side, wherein said primary flat section is fittedlyintegrated along the first perimeter with at least one countertopadjacent to the range top on at least one side of the range top, andwherein the fitted integration provides an additional counter space inconjunction with the at least one countertop.
 2. The cover of claim 1,wherein said primary flat section includes at least one seam, andwherein, upon folding of said primary flat section along the at leastone seam, an area of the first perimeter is decreased, and wherein, uponunfolding of said primary flat section, said primary flat section issized equivalently to the second perimeter.
 3. The cover of claim 2,further comprising at least one hinge along each of the at least oneseam.
 4. The cover of claim 2, wherein the at least one adjacentcountertop includes therein a storage compartment, and wherein, uponfolding of said primary flat section along the at least one seam, saidprimary flat section is stored in the storage compartment.
 5. The coverof claim 4, wherein the storage compartment comprises a hinged sectionof the at least one adjacent countertop, wherein, upon opening of thehinged section, the folded primary flat section is stored therein. 6.The cover of claim 2, wherein, upon folding of said primary flat sectionalong the at least one seam, said primary flat section is retractablystored alongside the range top.
 7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the atleast one adjacent countertop includes therein a storage compartment,and wherein the under side comprises a low friction mechanism, andwherein said primary flat section is slid into the storage compartmentfor storage.
 8. The cover of claim 7, wherein said primary flat sectioncomprises a lock that locks the low-friction mechanism.
 9. The cover ofclaim 7, wherein said primary flat section comprises a handle forgrasping upon sliding.
 10. The cover of claim 1, wherein the under sideincludes a plurality of burner cut-outs for placement over a pluralityof burners on the range top.
 11. The cover of claim 1, wherein the upperside is at a vertical height approximately equivalent to a firstvertical height of at least one upper surface of the at least oneadjacent countertop.
 12. The cover of claim 1, wherein said primary flatsection comprises a wood.
 13. The cover of claim 1, wherein said primaryflat section comprises a metallic.
 14. The cover of claim 12 or 13,wherein said primary flat section comprises a plurality of designsthereon.
 15. The cover of claim 1, wherein the range top includes aplurality of knobs, and wherein the under side comprises at least oneknob cut-out for placement over the knobs of the range top.
 16. Acountertop addition for placement over a range-top, comprising: aprimary flat section having a first perimeter sized equivalently to asecond perimeter of the range top, and having an upper side and an underside, wherein said primary flat section is fittedly integrated along thefirst perimeter with at least one countertop adjacent to the range topon at least one side of the range top, and wherein the fittedintegration provides an additional counter space in conjunction with theat least one countertop; wherein said primary flat section includes atleast one seam, and wherein, upon folding of said primary flat sectionalong the at least one seam, an area of the first perimeter isdecreased, and wherein, upon unfolding of said primary flat section,said primary flat section is sized equivalently to the second perimeter.17. A system for covering a range top, comprising: a counter topadjacent to the range top on at least one side of the range top; aprimary flat section having a first perimeter sized equivalently to asecond perimeter around all sides of the range top, and having an upperside and an under side, wherein said primary flat section is fittedlyintegrated along the first perimeter with said at least one countertopadjacent to the range top on the at least one side of the range top, andwherein the fitted integration provides an additional counter space inconjunction with the at least one countertop.